Green Hydrogen Production from Biogas or Landfill Gas by Steam Reforming or Dry Reforming: Specific Production and Energy Requirements

Biogas is a crucial renewable energy source for green hydrogen (H2) production, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and serving as a carbon-free energy carrier with higher specific energy than traditional fuels. Currently, methane reforming dominates H2 production to meet growing global demand, with biogas/landfill gas (LFG) reform offering a promising alternative. This study provides a comprehensive simulation-based evaluation of Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) and Dry Methane Reforming (DMR) of biogas/LFG, using Aspen Plus. Simulations were conducted under varying operating conditions, including steam-to-carbon (S/C) for SMR and steam-to-carbon monoxide (S/CO) ratios for DMR, reforming temperatures, pressures, and LFG compositions, to optimize H2 yield and process efficiency. The comparative study showed that SMR attains higher specific H2 yields (0.14–0.19 kgH2/Nm3), with specific energy consumption between 0.048 and 0.075 MWh/kg of H2, especially at increased S/C ratios. DMR produces less H2 than SMR (0.104–0.136 kg H2/Nm3) and requires higher energy inputs (0.072–0.079 MWh/kg H2), making it less efficient. Both processes require an additional 1.4–2.1 Nm3 of biogas/LFG per Nm3 of feed for energy. These findings provide key insights for improving biogas-based H2 production for sustainable energy, with future work focusing on techno–economic and environmental assessments to evaluate its feasibility, scalability, and industrial application.